Household tool.



.No. 650,589. atented May 29 1900. R. w. HANDLE.

HuusEmLn TOOL.

(Application filed May 24, 1899.)

(No Model.)

fgizcrwf @MA ITIVfiTl tor.

UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

ROBERT IV. RANDLE, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ISAAC S. HAROLD, OF SAME PLACE.

HOUSEHQLDTOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,589, dated May 29, 1900. Application filed May 24,1899. Serial No. 718,020. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: I Be it known that I, ROBERT WV. RANDLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of WVayne and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Household Tools; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,

This invention relates to improvements'in a household tool for hanging and removing pictures from the walls, for holding dustcloths, mop-cloths, sponges, or the like, and has for its objects, first, a device which will combine great simplicity and cheapness of construction with a wide range of usefulness and convenience in manipulation; second, to provide a device that will firmly and securely hold a dust-cloth, mop-cloth, or sponge for dusting ceilings or walls, pictures, furniture, and the like and for mopping floors, cleaning windows, and the like, whereby the work can be accomplished with a minimum of labor; third, to provide adevice for removing pictures from the wall and for hanging same in their places on the wall, and, fourth, to provide a device for hanging pictures in their places on the walls where hooks are used to support the same, this device being arranged to hold a hook, so that the hook and picture can be hung at the same time.

To these ends this invention is based on certain arrangements and combinations of parts fully hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

The mechanism employed for accomplishing the various purposes enumerated may be varied indefinitely by means of equivalent devices or analogous construction without departing from the essential features of this invention.

This invention is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a front View of the entire device, showing the device closed. Fig. 2 is a like view showing thedevice open. Fig. 3 is a side view of the device. Fig. 4 is a like 0 view showin a icture-hook in connection therewith. Fig. 5 is a rear view of Fig. 4, showing a picture book and cord as they are intended to be placed in the device; and Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of the part 0.

Like letters of reference denote correspond- 5 5 ing parts in the several figures of the drawings, referring to which- A and B represent arms secured in the end of a handle D and extending up, as shown, so as to form triangular-shaped heads I and -J and terminating in the rear of the device in hooks F and G. The parts B, J, and G in their normal position should stand apart from the parts A, I, and F, respectively, as shown in Fig. 2.

O represents an oblong ring adapted to he slid up and down on A and B, and when slid up, as in Fig. 1, it will bring the jaws I and J together and hold them in that position.

I-I represents a common picture-hook, and L represents a picture cord or wire, both of which are shown merely to show how they are used in connection with this device.

Nrepresents a ferrule on the end ofthe handle D.

It will now be seen that should a cloth, sponge, or other like article be placed between the jaws I and L, Fig. 2, and the ring 0 be pushed up toward the top of the device the ring 0 will draw the jaws I and J tightly against the cloth, sponge, or other like article, thus securely holding the cloth, sponge, or other article between the jaws I and J. When the cloth, sponge, or other article is thus adjusted between the jaws, the operator can by holding the handle D manipulate the cloth, sponge, or other article wherever desired for dusting furniture or pictures, for dusting over doorways and picture-moldin gs, for cleaning windows and for mopping floors, or other work that may be suggested to the operator.

It is apparent that if it is desirous to hang pictures on nails the cord L can be taken up by the hooks G and F and the picture raised until the center of the cord L is over the nail. The nail will then be between the hooks O and F. The device is then lowered and the cord L will be left suspended on the nail.

In many places a picture-moldin g is placed X piece. ofv wire.

around a room and loose hooks are used for connecting the picture-cord to the molding. By the use of this tool the hook and the picture can be placed in position at the same time and the operation is as follows: The device should be closed, as in Fig. 1. The picture-hook H is then placed between the hooks F and G, as shown in Fig. 4.. "The cord I; is then placed in the hooks F and G and against the lower curve of the hook H, as shown in Fig. 4. The weight of the picture on the cord L will cause the cord L to press the hook H against the arms A and B, thus holding the hook H in the position slfown in Fig. 4. It will now be seen that the operator can grasp the handle D and raise all until the upper part of the hook H is placed over the. molding. Then by lowering the device the hook I-I' drops into its place over the molding. The device is then withdrawn and the cord L is left suspended in the lower curve of the hook II. It will be seen that the picture cord andhook can be removed by reversing the operation.

T I prefer. to form the two jaws I and J, the hooks F and G, and the arms A and B of one The loop being in the handle D, as shown in Fig. 5, a small sprig, screw, or nail can be put through the handle D and through the loop, which will prevent the device from becoming loosened orfrom-coming the two arms A and B, adapted to stand apart at an angle of approximately twenty degrees, a triangular-shaped head or jaw at the upper end of each arm, each terminating in ahook at the rear, a ring adapted to slide up and down the arms as described, so that the jaws I and J can be opened or closed as specified, as and for the purposes set forth.

In adevice such as described, the combination with the handle, and apair of arms,

,secured thereto, projecting upward to form a triangular head and. terminating in hooks back of theheadsoformed, aring to slide up and down the arms, adapted to draw the heads together and hold them as described, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence'of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT W. RANDLE. Witnesses:

HARRY Y. DOAN, FRANK WILLIAMs, 

